Covered heel unit and covering device therefor



Oct. 23, 1956 J. MELTZER 2,767,433

COVERED HEEL: UNIT AND COVERING DEVICE THEREFOR F'ild July 20. 1955 2 SheetsSheet 1 J. MELTZER Oct. 23, 1956 COVERED HEEL UNIT AND COVERING DEVICE THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2\ Filed July 20, 19.55

IN V EN TOR. JACK M61 r25? United States Patent COVERED HEEL UNIT AND COVERING DEVICE THEREFOR Jack Meltzer, Hollywood, Calif.

Application July 20, 1955, Serial No. 523,303

12 Claims. (Cl. 36-34) This invention relates generally to footwear, and has particular reference to a covered heel unit of improved character. Coordinately the invention relates to a new type of covering device for a heel unit.

The heel unit to be covered with the improved covering device, is of the type in which there is at least one groove extending along the curved outside surface of the heel, the opposite ends of the groove being forwardly directed and lying adjacent to an end surface of the heel. A groove of this character is desirable in a heel enclosed within a multi-colored heel covering, for the purpose of snugly accommodating the inturned seam or joint between the two covering elements employed. In many cases the heel may be provided for other reasons, sometimes for purely ornamental purposes or to produce special novelty effects, with a groove of the character referred to. Often several grooves are provided, extending in the same general direction one above the other along the curved outside surface of the heel.

It is a general objective of the present invention to simplify the manner in which grooved heel units of this general kind may be provided with snug-fitting covers. A more particular object lies in the provision of an improved covering device, whereby a single operator, working at a single station, can produce uniformly fine covered heel units in much larger quantities, and in far less time and at greatly reduced expense, than has heretofore been possible in commercial practice, even where a multiplicit of operators worked in cooperation.

A properly constructed heel covering device of flexible material intended to fit snugly over a grooved heel of the type described is provided with an inwardly directed flange so positioned that it extends into the groove in the heel body. In accordance with my invention, a draw string is carried by this flange along its edge, and during the application of the heel cover the draw string is drawn tight, whereby the proper introduction of the flange into the groove is expedited, and the flange is thereupon held firmly within the groove.

Another feature of the invention lies in the creation of the flange in a number of optional ways of special character, to facilitate the association of the draw string therewith, and to achieve the desired results to best advantage, depending upon the nature of the heel unit being covered.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of special means whereby the draw string may be maintained in a taut condition. In a preferred construction and mode of procedure the ends of the draw string are tied together in the form of a knot, and special means are provided for accommodating the ends and the knot in a commercially practical and concealed manner.

A further general object of the invention is to provide an improved heel covering device that is applicable to shoes and heel units of widely different character and style. The covering may be composed of any of a large variety of available flexible materials, to be used singly or in selected combination. The material may be chosen not only for its ornamental values but also for its wearresistant and other utilitarian qualities. Similarly the heel unit may form part of a large variety of different kinds of shoes, and may vary in shape and style from a conventional heel to a high heel or wedgie of unusual sizes and contours.

Several ways of achieving the foregoing general objectives, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, are illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an article of footwear having a covered grooved heel unit;

Figure 2 is an exploded view showing the parts entering into the covered heel unit of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an upside down view of the parts shown in Figure 2 subsequent to the covering of the heel unit;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of Figure 5; and

Figures 7-12 inclusive are fragmentary perspective views showing several ways in which the draw string may be associated with an inturned flange on the covering device, to achieve the results contemplated by the invention.

In Figure l I have shown a shoe in which the covered heel unit 65 is provided with a pair of grooves 66 and 67, arranged one above the other, for ornamentation purposes. In a heel unit of this kind, it is usually desirable to cover the several areas with distinguishable materials, e. g., leathers or other fabrics having different colorations, designs, or textures. Heretofore the achievement of this result has required that the heel body be made of separate sections, each individually covered. To form the sections in the first place, to cover them individually, and then to reassemble them has been a tedious, time-consuming, expensive procedure, and the end results are seldom uniform and often unsatisfactory.

In accordance with the present invention, the heel body 68 can be formed of a single piece of wood, plastic, or other selected material. It is provided with one or more grooves of the type desired, such as those indicated at 66 and 67. It will be observed that the ends of the grooves are forwardly directed and terminate adjacent to the front or forward face 69 of the heel. Because of the wedgeshaped nature of the heel shown, this face joins the top surface 70 of the heel at an acute angle. Similarly, each of the grooves 66, 67 encounters the face 69 at an acute angle. If a heel of this general character were made of separate sections, the attenuated forward ends of the sec tions would be regions of weakness from which the corners frequently chip off. Where the heel body is formed of a single piece, as shown, this disadvantage is obviated.

The covering device for the heel body 68 is shown in Figures 2 and 3, and consists of three interconnected areas or strips of flexible covering material. The uppermost piece 71 is shaped to fit snugly around the uppermost region of the heel body, between the top surface 70 and the groove 67; the medial area 72 of the cover is shaped to conform snugly to the medial region of the heel body between the grooves 66 and 67; and the lower part 73 of the covering device is shaped to conform to the lower part of the heel body, between the groove 66 and the bottom face 74.

The regions 71, 72 and 73 are joined together along inturned seams, each of which defines an inturned flange. The joining is achieved by stitches 75 lying closely adjacent to the base of each flange (Figure 3). Along the edge of each flange is a draw string, and in Figure 3 I have illustratively shown each of the strings secured in position by overcast stitches 76.

During the assembly of the parts, the draw string 77 facilitates the engagement of the uppermost flange with the groove 67, and the draw string 78 accomplishes the same purpose in connection with the groove 66.

The draw string ends can be tied together and disposed of in several ways. In the construction illustrated I have shown the face 69 of the heel body provided with passages or grooves converging toward a central recess 79. Within this recess there is a post or projection 8% which may be formed as an integral part of the heel body, or may under certain circumstances. be defined by the head of a nail or similar element driven into association with the heel body as indicated in Figure 5. .The ends of the draw strings are arranged in their respective channels and tied together or otherwise secured within the recess 79, preferably by securement to the post or projection 30. Obviously, if desired, a separate recess can be provided for each draw string.

It will be observed that the area 71 of the covering is of suflicient size to permit the top margin to be brought over and adhesively secured to the top surface 76 of the heel body. Similarly, the part 73 has a lower margin brought down over the bottom face 74 of the heel body, as indicated in Figure 4.

If the heel unit cover is properly configured, it may not be necessary to employ any adhesive in applying it to the heel unit to be covered. However, in most cases it is preferable to apply suitable adhesive to the exterior surface of the heel unit and to the interior surface of the covering element. Then, when the cover is applied, forwardly directed tension is applied to the ends of the draw strings, as a result of which the flanges enter expeditiously into the respective grooves and are retained firmly and snugly therein.

It may or may not be desirable in all cases to apply adhesive to the groove itself, but if any adhesive is interposed between the contacting surfaces of the heel unit and the cover the draw strings are retained in taut condition as the adhesive becomes permanently effective. Then, if desired, the ends of the draw strings may be severed.

Although it is usually preferable to form the separate sections of the cover. of different pieces of material, obviously if desired two or more of the regions between the grooves may be made of a single element of flexible material, provided with an inturned fold to define the flange that fits into the corresponding groove. This is indicated in Figure 7, in which it will be observed that the overlying parts defining the fold or flange 40 in the single piece of material 37 -are stitched together along the base of the flange as indicated at 42, the draw string 41 being held in position against the edge of the flange by overcast stitching 43 extending around the draw string and through the flange 40 itself.

While I have chosen to show a wedge-shaped heel body with two grooves, obviously the advantages of the invention can be attained with heel units of other shapes, with either a single groove or with more than two grooves. In each case, the application of a snug form-fitting cover is greatly expedited by the presence on the covering device of the inturned flange with the draw string along its edge.

In Figures 8-12 I have shown various ways in which the draw string may be associated with the flange. In Figure 8 a single piece of material 81 is provided with a fold 82, but the fold is slit as at 83 along at least a partial length thereof. This contributes to the creation of a form-fitting cover, in cases where the heel body to be covered is of unusual or difficult curvature. The flange defined by the fold 82 is stitched along its base as indicated at 84. The draw string 85 is secured to the edge by overcast stitches 86 extending around the draw string and through the flange.

In Figure 9 the covering material 87 is provided with a flange 88 defined by a fold. In this case the region within the confines of the fold defines a tunnel within which the draw string 89 can be accommodated. Stitching 90 extends along the base of the flange and serves to retain the draw string 89 within the tunnel.

In Figure 10 the material 91 is provided with a flange 92, and the draw string 93 is held in position along the edge of the flange by a tape or ribbon 94 doubled upon itself along a medial longitudinal line, with one margin of the tape being in overlying relation to one side of the flange 92, and the other margin of the tape being in the same relation to the opposite side of the flange. The tape is stitched into position as indicated at 95.

In Figure 11 I have shown the possibility of using a tape 96 similar to the one of Figure 10, except that in this case both overlying margins of the tape are together against one side of the flange 97 formed inthe material 98. Stitches 99 secure the tape 96 in position, and retain the draw string 100 within the confines of the folded tape. The stitches 99 may be the same as, or different from, the stitches arranged along the base of the flange 97.

In Figure 12 I have shown a flange defined by overlying margins 101 and 102 of separate pieces of material 103 and 104. The stitches 105 that secure these elements in edge to edge engagement are arranged at the base of the flange. It will be observed that one of the edges projects beyond the other. In the construction shown, the edge 102 is the projecting edge, and it will be observed that the draw string 106 is secured by overcast stitching 107 to this projecting edge. This construction is desirable where the groove into which the flange fits is relatively narrow, or where the material of the covering is relatively heavy, whereby a single thickness is preferred, for supporting the draw string.

It will be understood that the nature and details of the other parts of the shoe construction may be of any selected character, and that the application of the heel.

covering procedure to shoes of widely different kinds is entirely practical.

In general it will be understood that many of the details herein described and illustrated, even in connection with the heel covering technique and construction, may be varied by those skilled in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a shoe, a heel body having a plurality of grooves extending in the same general direction one above the other along the curved outside surface of the heel, each groove lying between a pair of adjacent areas on said curved surface, the opposite ends of each groove being forwardly directed and lying adjacent to an end surface of the heel, a snug fitting cover of flexible material on said curved surface and overlying said adjacent areas and provided with a plurality of inwardly directed flanges extending into said grooves respectively, and a taut draw string carried by each flange along its edge to retain the flange within its groove.

2. In a shoe, the structure defined in claim 1, said heel being provided on said end surface with a recess and with an anchoring projection within said recess and with pas-.

sages extending between said recess and the ends of said grooves, the ends of each draw string extending through the corresponding passages and being anchored to said projection within said recess.

3. A covering device for a heel body having a curved outside surface and having a groove extending along said curved surface between adjacent areas thereof,

comprising flexible covering material shaped to conform snugly to said surface and provided in a medial region with an inwardly directed flange positioned to fit snugly into said groove, and a draw string carried by said flange along its edge,- whereby the application of tension to the draw string when the covering material is applied to the heel will urge said flange into close fitting relation to said groove.

4. A covering device as defined in claim 3, said flange being formed by two areas of covering material joined edge to edge in overlapping relation.

5. A covering device as defined in claim 3, said flange being formed by two areas of covering material joined edge to edge in overlapping relation, one of said edges projecting beyond the other, and said draw string being secured to the projecting edge.

6. A covering device as defined in claim 3, said flange being formed by an inturned fold of the covering material, the overlying parts being stitched together along the base of the flange, and the draw string extending through the tunnel defined by said fold forwardly of said stitched base.

7. A covering device as defined in claim 3, said draw string being secured by overcast stitching extending around the draw string and through the flange.

8. A covering device as defined in claim 3, said covering material being at least partially slitted along the line of said flange, said flange in the slitted region being formed by joining together the opposed edges of the slit by an inturned seam.

9. In a shoe, a wedge-type heel having a top surface and a bottom surface intersecting along an attenuated front edge, said heel having a curved outside surface extending between said top and bottom surfaces, said curved surface being provided with at least one groove slanted in the same general direction as said top surface and 1ying spaced from said top surface, the opposite ends of the groove being forwardly directed and lying adjacent to said bottom surface, a snug fitting cover of flexible material on said curved surface and overlying the areas on both sides of said groove, said cover being provided in a medial region with an inwardly directed flange extending into said groove, and a taut draw string carried by said flange along its edge to rtain the flange within said groove. 5 10. In a shoe, the structure defined in claim 9, said heel being provided on said bottom surface with a recess and with passages extending between said recess and the ends of said groove, the ends of said draw string extending through said passages and being anchored to the heel within said recess.

11. A covering device as defined in claim 3, said flange being formed by an inturned fold of the covering material, the overlying parts being stitched together along the base of the flange.

12. In a shoe, a heel body having a groove extending along the curved outside surface of the heel, said groove lying between a pair of adjacent areas on said curved surface, the opposite ends of said groove being forwardly directed and lying adjacent to an end surface of the heel, a snug fitting cover of flexible material on said adjacent areas and provided with an inwardly directed flange extending into said groove, and ataut draw string carried by said flange along its edge to retain the flange within said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,208,760 Drey Dec. 19, 1916 3 2,151,020 Fredericksen Mar. 21, 1939 o 2,304,236 Braun Dec. 8, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 490,156 Great Britain Aug. 10, 1938 

